Archive for August, 2012

I just finished reading some of the highlights of the Republican convention this morning. Other than the usual mud slinging which seems to go with every recent political election from the President on down, facts were twisted and candidates never fully support their party’s policies fully.

From what all I’ve read so far, there was more twisted facts and mud slinging than normal at the convention. It appears that the Republicans (as well as the Tea Party which is a part of the Republican party), seem be be twisting facts badly. Surprisingly, the local newspaper for once did some responsible reporting of what went on at the convention. The following article will point this out:

This is where I personally take offense with the Republicans. They’ve never wanted net neutrality. They’ve always wanted to control the net in one way shape, form, or another (can we say Communism or Orwellian policies).

The first part of their trying to control it was to stack the FCC (Federal Communications Commission with three new appointees appointed under George W. Bush. So far it’s backfired on the Republicans in their interest to control the Internet. Then there were attempts like SOPA (Stop Online Piracy Act), PIPA (Preventing Real Online Threats to Economic Creativity and Theft of Intellectual Property Act), and all their variants.

One of the biggest things in the later article I found very interesting was the party stance on porn and gambling sites on-line. I don’t remember the article I read some time ago, but it stated that the most porn downloaded (legally or illegally) was downloaded in the most religiously repressed area of the country (the south). Now look at the following:

Note that for the most part the Republican party controls the majority if not all the south. Funny that they should want to ban porn since {(and I’m assuming here)(and let’s not forget what ASSume means) they (Republicans) are the most sexually repressed and most flagrant down-loaders of porn in the nation.

As to gambling, I don’t gamble. However, I believe there are stringent enough controls on the gambling industry as a whole with one exception. That exception is church sponsored gambling (i.e. Bingo and various Bingo Halls I’ve seen here in this state and I’m ASSumming again across the south). The gambling industry limits the amount individuals can gamble (usually NO credit). Sure there are load sharks out there but the vast majority will not extend credit if you can’t pay it. Then again, those people thrive off the gambling addiction. Most people won’t use them. The government doesn’t have to do away with the gambling sites per say. They should however apply the same governing laws that are applied to big casino’s to those websites and filter out those sites that won’t follow those laws. Much easier than an all out ban.

When it comes to Bingo halls or church sponsored gambling, again it should follow the same rules and laws as big time casinos. That includes getting taxed like a casino. Yeah, I hear it now (FOUL!) Sorry, but if those churches who sponsor this form of gambling practiced what they preached, there would be no such thing as church backed gambling (i.e. Bingo halls).

Ok, I’ve had my say about the Republican party and their convention. Next up will be my take on the Democratic convention when it’s held. Yes, you heard it right! I’m going to be fair and equal here as I have no political affiliation with either nor if I voted would I vote for either party.

This a term you’ve heard a lot lately in the news and everywhere else. The biggest problem I see with this term is that NO ONE seems to want to be held accountable. They’re all trying to dodge the bullet that they know has their name on it. Even I sometimes try to escape responsibility for my own actions. However, I attempt to accept responsibility for all that I do or say.

By far the largest group of people who don’t want to accept responsibility for their actions are those people who are in control of our own governments and corporations. Even though there are some who are honest enough to admit it when the problem IS their fault. However, it doesn’t stop there.

Like a plague, the issue has spread from the government and big business to that of the individual on the street. I’ve seen it happen amongst the homeless time and time again. I’ll openly admit and accept responsibility and accountability to myself for my current status in life. I have no one to blame. It was my decisions that put me here and it will by my decisions to get me out of here.

Let’s look at welfare and accountability for a moment. It seems the Republican party bitches about this one the most. Funny thing is there are many who currently get welfare who DON’T need it when others that do need the assistance can’t get it. Now I’m counting corporate welfare in on this one since corporations took a large chunk of taxpayers dollars in the last six years thanks to George W. Bush and his administration. Some of these “bailouts” were given under the current president but were set up by Bush and his administration in advance.

What annoys me more than anything is that several of these corporations got these huge “bailouts” and then turned around and gave them out as bonuses to those that put their corporation into the situation that they supposedly needed the “bailout” money to begin with. Even though the current Congress forced those individuals into a 90% tax on those bonuses, the American taxpayer still gave those corporate individuals a 10% bonus they didn’t deserve to begin with. Those individuals should have been bare minimum fired by their respective corporations if not brought up on criminal charges for FRAUD!

Here’s are a couple questions that the taxpayer should ask. How many of those “bailout” loans have been paid back? Were these corporations who were foolish enough to get themselves into the bind that they required these loans charged interest on those loans and how much? Frankly, I doubt very much that these “bailout” loans were anything but NO interest loans. At least the vast majority of them were. Sure GM was able to pay back the loans they took ($60 Billion) prior to the repayment date. However, are they having any regulation to stop them from doing the same thing they did to warrant them the “bailout” again?

Same is true of the bank system. Many took “bailouts.” They would have never needed to be bailed out if the Glass-Steagall Act of 1932 had not been abolished or severely eroded. This act made it so banks had to be either commercial or investment banks. Alas, this is no longer so. This act was originally instituted to keep what happened in 1929 from happening again like it did shortly after George W. Bush took office in 2000. The provisions in it were realistic and well thought out. Unfortunately the banking industry sought deregulation to allow it to do what it did before 1929’s stock market crash and got it. Now we are facing pretty much the same thing again. But yet they state, “It wasn’t our fault! Where’s the accountability here?

I’ll be bold enough to state that it’s corporate policies that have gotten the government into poor accountability. Take for instance weapons procurement. Bids are accepted and the lowest bidder wins the contract. In a lot of cases a company will purposely under bid so that they can later state that they have “cost over runs” and “delays.” If this was going to happen why did they bid so low to begin with? This is reprehensible in the least. If a government contractor can’t or won’t deliver on a contract bid at the cost of the contract they should lose the bid or be fired when they get behind schedule and run into “cost over runs.” Unfortunately it’s not happening due to many things. Corruption being the worst. If a company low balls a bid and can’t deliver it should go bust. It’s obvious to me that many companies are not being held accountable for this mess. F35 Joint Strike Fighter ring a bell here?

Simply put, ALL people should be responsible and accountable for their actions. If it gets a company into trouble then the employee causing the trouble should be fired even if the company has to eat cost over runs to keep a contract they bid on. In this case the bidder should be fired for his stupidity instead of the company folding and costing more jobs if the cost of the company delivering the product on time and in budget doesn’t close them down. Until we start holding each other accountable for our actions we’ll continue to see what we are currently seeing now. BOTH CORPORATE AND GOVERNMENTAL IRRESPONSIBILITY AND BAD ACCOUNTABILITY!

Is it possible? Can a homeless person have a relationship with friends and or the opposite sex? Look around. It happens just like it happens in everyday society. The only difference is you don’t see many relationships developing between those that are working and the homeless as you do the homeless working out relationships with the homeless they are with.

As in any of society, there are relationships. Just because you’re homeless doesn’t mean you don’t interact with society developing friends or even a romance. I see the exact same thing being on the street with homeless as I do with while working and dealing with others who are employed. It’s the same thing with some minute differences.

Developing true friends on the street is not easy. Trust is a big issue in this. Some can be with friends for years even out on the street. I know, I was with one such friend for approximately three years before that relationship turned sour. Others have shorter relationships. Not many go as long as I did with one friend.
I do have other friends but they are more acquaintances than true friends. I’ve found the biggest problem for those with friends on the street is that you never know when your friend will turn on you. It could be mentally, physically, or both. Usually it’s something simple that starts it out and is blown out of proportion. Just like in the rest of society there is usually DRAMA behind the split between friends. If it’s not a fight for foolish reasons it’s from theft. Yes homeless steal from each other. Often times more from each other than from stores.

As to relationships with the opposite sex, they do happen. Again, like the rest of society, they can be lasting and then they can blow up. The difference is the blowup are generally too public and again DRAMA over something he/she said or he/she did starts it all. I have to admit though, I’ve yet to witness any physical abuse in any case. It’s mostly shouted words instead of physical domestic violence.

Now for the most touchy of all the relationships. The relationship between people who have and people who have not (home owners vs homeless). In most cases you WON’T see any kind of relationships (romantic or otherwise) between them at all. Homeowners/people who are considered wealthy no matter what they still owe out for their properties absolutely refuse to associate with the homeless in downtown Columbia. Their personification is that ALL homeless are bad people. We’re either thieves, con artists, nor even disabled according to people like those on city council or the mayor’s office. If they had their way they’d lock all the homeless up on Bluff Road (southwestern part of Columbia city proper).

My answer for that is similar to the answer for getting rid of corrupt politicians. In the case of homeless, there are a very few who make it bad for the rest of us homeless. Alas, they are the ones who demand the most from society as well as government. And yes, a great deal of those have served jail time. Most for trespassing. Otherwise, there is no felony conviction. Pull those off the street who are consistently causing the issues and put them in a place more fitting.

Romantic relationships are almost non-existent between the homeless and those that have homes. Believe me, I’ve made an attempt or two myself in getting to know ladies in town here. I’ve used subtlety when dealing with those women who I’m attracted too. Alas, even just trying to get to know a female who has a home is next to impossible. Harder yet is getting one to go on a “date” with you. In most cases, if you haven’t got any money you need not apply. It doesn’t stop me from trying to communicate with the ladies. But then, I’m not in it for money nor sex. I’m into it for companionship. The other things will come in time if there is any chance at all between people.